Jungle and Drum & Bass
Bowie immersed himself in London’s inner-city club scene in the mid-1990s. Captivated by the pulsating breakbeats underpinning Jungle and Drum & Bass, Bowie returned week after week to the Metalheadz club night at Blue Note in Hoxton, east London.
There he forged a bond with DJ and producer Goldie that sparked later collaborations. He also worked with artist A Guy Called Gerald and wrote an article imagining an encounter with Trip Hop pioneer Tricky. Bowie's exploration of sample culture influenced his albums ‘1. Outside’ and ‘Earthling’.
Written by: Ben Selig, Assistant Curator of V&A East
Published: September 2025
Description: 'Saturnz Return' album featuring Bowie
Maker: Goldie
Description: Artist Goldie at Metalheadz night at Bluenote Hoxton nightclub
Maker: Eddie Otchere
- Museum Number
- LOAN:AMERICASFOUNDATION.2052:1,2-2024
- Description
- Everybody Loves Sunshine
- Artist/Maker
- Persol
- Location and Date
- Italy, 1999
- Materials/Techniques
- Plastic, Metal, Leather, Ink, Moulding, Casting, Screwing, Upholstering, Printing
- Museum Number
- LOAN:AMERICASFOUNDATION.2579-2024
- Description
- Everybody Loves Sunshine
- Artist/Maker
- William Welstead Ltd
- Location and Date
- Great Britain, ca.1999
- Materials/Techniques
- Sterling silver, Casting, Polishing
- Reference Code
- DBA/TEMP/50
- Title/Description
- Handwritten notes about recording 1.Outside
- Archive Department
- Theatre and Performance
- Date
- 1995
- Materials/Techniques
- A4 lined paper featuring handwritten notes by David Bowie about his and Brian Eno's process of recording the 1.Outside album. David Bowie notes that this album is to the first in a series of works which will collectively be known as the 'Nathan Adler Diaries'. Second page contains a list of questions sent to David Bowie for a press interview.
- Reference Code
- DBA/TEMP/122
- Title/Description
- Handwritten Lyrics for 'I'm Deranged'
- Archive Department
- Theatre and Performance
- Date
- 1995
- Materials/Techniques
- Lyrics for the song 'I'm Deranged', written by David Bowie and Brian Eno for the album 1.Outside.
- Reference Code
- DBA/TEMP/56
- Title/Description
- Set design drawing, The Outside Tour
- Archive Department
- Theatre and Performance
- Date
- 1995
- Materials/Techniques
- A3 paper containing drawing of the stage design with the caption "BOWIE STAGE" and David Bowie's signature.
- Reference Code
- DBA/TEMP/117
- Title/Description
- Q Magazine, October 1995
- Archive Department
- Theatre and Performance
- Date
- Oct 1995
- Materials/Techniques
- Q Magazine edition including an article written by Bowie, titled '“You Don’t Wanna Be Painting Your Face Like That…”; Or, The Beautiful, It Won’t Rap, She Won’t Dance, Very Tricky Piece'. The article is a fictionalised account of Bowie meeting Tricky (Adrian Thaws).
- Reference Code
- DBA/TEMP/93
- Title/Description
- Photograph of David Bowie with Alexander McQueen coat
- Archive Department
- Theatre and Performance
- Date
- 1996
- Materials/Techniques
- Colour contact sheet by Nina Schultz showing David Bowie posing with a union jack coat designed by Alexander McQueen. Data from the David Bowie estate indicates this may have been taken for publicity relating to the 1. Outside album or tour. This coat was worn later for the cover of the album Earthling.
- Reference Code
- DBA/TEMP/18
- Title/Description
- 'Little Wonder' lyrics, signed
- Archive Department
- Theatre and Performance
- Date
- ca. 1996
- Materials/Techniques
- Typewritten draft of 'Little Wonder' lyrics, released on the album Earthling, signed by David Bowie and containing amendments.
- Reference Code
- DBA/TEMP/2
- Title/Description
- Script for Everybody Loves Sunshine
- Archive Department
- Theatre and Performance
- Date
- 1998-2002
- Materials/Techniques
- Script for the film Everybody Loves Sunshine written and directed by Andrew Goth; signed by Andrew Goth and David Bowie. Includes Bowie's handwritten notes as marginalia, post-its attached to the pages, and a single insert sheet.